Linux Questions - Redirecting Standard Out

[hal8000]

I have Media Bundle 4.04 installed on my Foxsat PVR. I notice there are no kernel messages. However certain messages are displayed on the TV. E.g. inserting or removing USB media displays a message onto the TV screen.

Is there a way to redirect standard out to the TV screen?
E.g. echo "hello" 2> greeting.txt

would redirect standard output to the file greeting.txt

Thanks in advance.

 

[raydon]

I have Media Bundle 4.04 installed on my Foxsat PVR. I notice there are no kernel messages. However certain messages are displayed on the TV. E.g. inserting or removing USB media displays a message onto the TV screen.

Is there a way to redirect standard out to the TV screen?
E.g. echo "hello" 2> greeting.txt

would redirect standard output to the file greeting.txt

Thanks in advance.

No. The messages you see on screen are generated by the Humax settop binary. It is not possible to direct stdout to the tv screen which is not a terminal.

 

[hal8000]

Thanks for a quick reply. Is is possible to change the Humax splash screen or is that embedded in settop also?

 

[Partridge]

Thanks for a quick reply. Is is possible to change the Humax splash screen or is that embedded in settop also?

Do you mean the blue screen when you start the HDR, with the loader version (like 7.54) displayed on it? if so then I don't think that this can be embedded in settop since this is not run until the linux system is up. So my understanding would be that the splash screen has to be in the loader which is flashblock mtd0 if I remember right. Either way it is going to be tough to change this!

 

[REPASSAC]

Do you mean the blue screen when you start the HDR, with the loader version (like 7.54) displayed on it? if so then I don't think that this can be embedded in settop since this is not run until the linux system is up. So my understanding would be that the splash screen has to be in the loader which is flashblock mtd0 if I remember right. Either way it is going to be tough to change this!

Rewriting mtd0 (even with a copy of another HDR's mtd0) is a sure way to brick the HDR.

 

[hal8000]

Yes, the blue loader with 7.54 on it, I called it a splash screen.
The flash is split up like this:

Foxsat-HDR~# mount
/dev/root on / type squashfs (ro)
--snip--
/dev/hda4 on /mnt/hd4 type ext3 (rw)
/dev/mtdblock3 on /usr/lib type squashfs (ro)
/dev/mtdblock4 on /usr/bin type squashfs (ro)
/dev/mtdblock5 on /usr/image type squashfs (ro)
/dev/mtdblock7 on /usr/data type jffs2 (rw,noatime)
--snip--

So its possible that its contained in /usr/image in /dev/mtdblock5
but all those files are RAW data and wont open with GIMP or any other software.
It may not be possible to change this screen.

 

[Partridge]

So its possible that its contained in /usr/image in /dev/mtdblock5
but all those files are RAW data and wont open with GIMP or any other software.

Agree it is a possibility, although with the loader version embedded in the splash screen image then I'm not sure it's likely? (since the loader is released and flashed separately onto the box as the rest of the mtdblocks in the firmware)

I also haven't found any way of understanding what those files contain in /usr/images, so grateful for any expertise here!

 

[Partridge]

Rewriting mtd0 (even with a copy of another HDR's mtd0) is a sure way to brick the HDR.

That sounds like the voice of experience

 

[raydon]

Yes, the blue loader with 7.54 on it, I called it a splash screen.
The flash is split up like this:

Foxsat-HDR~# mount
/dev/root on / type squashfs (ro)
--snip--
/dev/hda4 on /mnt/hd4 type ext3 (rw)
/dev/mtdblock3 on /usr/lib type squashfs (ro)
/dev/mtdblock4 on /usr/bin type squashfs (ro)
/dev/mtdblock5 on /usr/image type squashfs (ro)
/dev/mtdblock7 on /usr/data type jffs2 (rw,noatime)
--snip--

So its possible that its contained in /usr/image in /dev/mtdblock5
but all those files are RAW data and wont open with GIMP or any other software.
It may not be possible to change this screen.

the files in /usr/img
imagelib.dat
imagelib_FREESAT.dat
imagelib_SAT.dat
imagelib_ETHERNET.dat
imagelib_PVR.dat
contain the image libraries for the HDR's GUI in Humax's own proprietary format, and could be changed if this format was known. They do not include the loader splash screen.

 

[hal8000]

the files in /usr/img
imagelib.dat
imagelib_FREESAT.dat
imagelib_SAT.dat
imagelib_ETHERNET.dat
imagelib_PVR.dat
contain the image libraries for the HDR's GUI in Humax's own proprietary format, and could be changed if this format was known. They do not include the loader splash screen.

Thanks for enlightening me, I will not attempt to change anything.

 

[REPASSAC]

Thanks for enlightening me, I will not attempt to change anything.

FYI,
mtd8 refers to mtd0-mtd7 so care with this as well.
A lot of functions on the HDR (inclusive of screen display) are handled (so we think) by a PVR chip - a Broadcom bcm7403 - (ref /lib/modules/2.6.12-4.2-brcmstb/bcm7403). As yet we have not tracked down an implementation or interface guide for it. So if you are interested and have the time .......

 

[hal8000]

Heres a datasheet for the BCM740:

w*w.datasheetdir.com/BCM7403+Video

I doubt it will contain a description of the firmware though.
This reminds me of the Linksys WRT54 router that used linux, after many requests by the community Linksys eventually released the source code and OpenWRT project was started.
It would be nice if Humax could provide the source code for settop,
that way it would be easier to create new images. Sending you a PM,
I'll see if I can offer any assistance.